Liz has been at the Women's Fellowship meeting which she says went well. Deborah Maria led and Rebeca spoke. They also had a good time of prayer together.
Liz and I have been involved in a good counselling session with a couple who I will not name.
I led the mid-week prayer meeting and Bible study last night and the praise was led by Marina and Rogerio on keyboard. Rafael brought the study from Amos 2. It was a good service.
Liz has been involved in some counselling of a young person with relationship issues. I can't mention the name or go into details.
I have been doing sermon preparation for the annual general pastors' conference next month. Your prayers are valued.
Liz and I had our bi-annual blood tests today so I've been walking round all day with an empty arm! We get our results online and everything that has come through to date is fine. 😊
I went to the Men's Fellowship meeting last night which was led by school teacher Claudivan with Rafael coordinating the reflection in God's Word. Only 7 went but it was a nice time of fellowship around God's Word.
The difficult selection process for three more toilet/shower units to be built at Barra de Oitis has been completed and the building materials have been delivered this week. 81-year-old Maria de Lourdes is finally going to get her very first bathroom and she is thrilled! There are no less than 21 people living in her 4-room house, including children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren, so the loo will be well used! The second toilet/shower unit will be shared by the 3 families of Maria Jose, Camila and Francisco benefitting a total of 17 people. The third will go to Maria Luciene and family benefitting 6 more people.
Saturday was a youth day at Green Pastures with a time of sport and leisure for our youth. They stayed for the evening service there at which one of them, Ray, was the speaker.
The young at heart group enjoyed their morning on Friday of ocupational therapy and fellowship. We have received various messages of thanks from them.
QPR lost at Hull 3 x 0 on Saturday and are now 3 points and 3 places above the delegation zone with 3 matches to go to the end of the season.
Liz has just made me an avocado pear smoothy. Absolutely delicious!
Liz and I have been to a tragic wake of a young man aged 35 who was murdered last night by a policeman. The deceased's mother Salete is a member of our church. The murder took place as part of a dispute over a girlfriend. The wake was very emotion charged. Please pray for Salete.
I led last night's service and Bible College graduate Murilo preached on 'being holy' from 1 Peter 1. He was excellent
Jose Joel and Rafael with their 2 little sons were thrilled to receive a sheep last week as part of EAB's 4-Legs project. They live in the Sitio Genipapo in Santana de Mangueira County. As well as being a farm labourer Jose is a marathon runner like EAB chairman Roy Dyer. Perhaps we could set up a race between ACEV's Jose and EAB's Roy?! 😉
The time is fast approaching for the annual Cadnam Methodist Church Concert in the New Forest in aid of EAB. It will be held on the last Saturday of the month (April 27th) at 7 pm. Tickets cost 10 pounds. Phone 01794 323279 for reservations and details. The concert will have a fine musical programme with some very good musicians. Our son Philip will be taking part. Our thanks go to Howard & Hillary Babey for all their work put into organizing this event.
On Thursday Liz and I held an excellent two and a half hour meeting with Pastor Wostenes and his wife Gleydice. Pastor Wostenes is the deputy chair of ACEV. We had a wide ranging discussion in preparation for next month's general conference of all our pastors and leaders. I will be preaching at the Conference. Please pray.
I am very busy preparing the agenda and details for our annual general conference which is always held at one of our churches in the month of May. This year it will be held on the coast in Joao Pessoa on the 24th and 25th of May and will gather together all our pastors and leaders for 4 general assemblies of sharing, planning, debating, praying and envisioning together. The Conference will end on the Saturday night with the Conference' Commissioning service at which one sister will be given probationary missionary status and 2 pastors and one woman missionary will be ordained. We greatly value your prayers for our general conference.
QPR drew 1 x 1 away to Plymouth on Tuesday. 4 matches are left in the season and we are 4 points clear of the drop. This is nail biting time!
On Tuesday night the Patos Men's Fellowship travelled to the town of Sao Mamede to hold the fortnightly street service. Numbers were down owing to rain, but the service went well. It rained 15 mm at Green Pastures.
Pastor Maesio up in the mountains at Teixeira baptized 3 at the weekend in a joyful and blessed service. The church there is ticking over nicely.
Liz and I didn't go to church yesterday owing to the flu but we are feeling steadily brighter. The main service of the week on Sunday night was led by our co-pastor Rafael and he preached too. We watched the whole service live on YouTube. It was a lovely service.
Our granddaughter Alice is staying with us at the moment for a few days which is very nice.
I had paw-paw and a banana for breakfast as usual. Occasionally I eat custard apple with banana.
On Friday our grandson Arthur and his girlfriend Bianca were both called to the bar and are now fully fledged barristers. They have done very well. The president of the Brazilian Lawyers Association (OAB) invited me to say a prayer of blessing upon the 15 new lawyers at the ceremony.
One of our pastors and his wife have left ACEV/EAB this week. They were in a temporary co-pastors role. I understand that the couple have serious personal problems which triggered their decision.
I went to Green Pastures and saw 2 wild cavies scuffling off into the bush.
Both Liz and I have the flu. Liz had it first and 3 days later it was me. We both have nasty coughs.
QPR sadly lost at home to Sheffield Wednesday yesterday 2 x 0. We are still 4 points clear of the relegation places with 5 games left to play, so we're not safe yet.
